Microsoft Will Bring Age of Empires to iOS and Android

After denying the earlier reports, Microsoft has confirmed that the classic real-time strategy game Age of Empires will be coming to iOS and Android in the not too distant future. An exact release date has not been determined, though some publications are reporting Spring of 2014, which sounds reasonable.

The original Age of Empires was released in 1997 with Microsoft as the publisher. The franchise has since expanded to have seven sequels, and several spin offs (including the Age of Mythology games). The game is your standard top-down RTS, but it takes place with a historical backdrop. It tracks the progress of a civilization from the stone age all the way to the iron age.

The original Age of Empires on the PC had twelve different civilizations to play. Each group had its own abilities, units, and buildings. The technology tree was also vastly different for each society as it evolved. We don’t yet know if all that will be included in the mobile game, but it’s possible. Modern smartphones are more capable than computers from the mid 90s, after all.

The gameplay is based around advancement through the four ages: the stone age, the tool age, the bronze age, and the iron age. Each new era give the player an advantage over any enemies that are still lagging behind. Those stone axes won’t do so well against bronze armor. This is the heart of the game, and will more than likely be included in the mobile edition.

Age of Empires is being developed for mobile by Japanese smartphone game developer KLab. It will reportedly be a free-to-play title, so expect in-app purchases to be part of the deal.

This will mark the first time this series has come to a mobile device, but Microsoft’s own platform will have to wait. While Android and iOS are getting the game first, Windows Phone will have to wait, along with non-English languages. Make of that what you will.

Ryan Whitwam is a freelance tech/science writer and fan of all things electronic. This long-time skeptic and former research scientist is a lover of the em dash and a defender of the Oxford comma. He also writes for Geek.com and ExtremeTech.
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